Wave-transmitting apparatus



June 4, 1929. c, you HOFE Er AL 1,716,199

WAVE TRANSMITTING APPARATUS Filed March 4, 1927 a m, flM, wrhw Patented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,716,199 PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN VON HOFE, F VIENNA, AND MAX MAURER, 0F KLOSTERNEUBURG, AUSTRIA.

WAVE-TRANSMITTING APPARATUS.

Application filed March 4, 1927, Serial No. 172,855, and in Austria March 12, 1926.

For many purposes it is found necessary to send or to receive light and sound waves throughout large angles (up to 360). This is sought to be made possible in the apparatus according to the present invention by a reflecting surface consisting of sectors of surfaces having foci (ellipsoids, hyperboloids, paraboloids, spheres) which are arranged in a star around an axis the wave transmitting devices being arranged in the foci of such sectors. Under wave transmitting devices applicants understand all known kinds of devices for sending and receiving sound waves.

The drawings show diagrammatically by way of example constructional forms of the subject matter of the invention.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the arrangement of the apparatus on two opposite sides of a ship in front elevation and transverse section.

Fig. 3 shows a detail and Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically the ship structure with the apparatus.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a somewhat modified constructional form likewise in side elevation and transverse section.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a radiating device in longitudinal section and plan view.

Figs. 1 and 4 show two equal apparatus on two opposite sides of a ship 20. The reflecting surface 1 consists of a plurality of sectors of paraboloids the foci of which coincide or are located in a circle. The hearing angle of each apparatus is 180. At 2 a microphone is located which is surrounded by a cylindrical sleeve 3 serving for reflecting the rays not directed towards the focus to such focus. Preferably the apparatus is so constructed that all the foci are located in the microphone.

In order to determine the main direction of the incoming sound waves the microphone is surrounded by a slotted shield 4 arranged on the rotatable stem 41, (Figs. 1 and By turning the latter the positions of the maximum of the sound intensity may be found out so that the apparatus may be used for finding the direction of the sound. If the two reflecting surfaces are united and the microphones are replaced by one an apparatus is obtained which may be used as an all round sound receiver freely mounted for a hearing angle of 360.

These devices are mainly used below water for detecting submarine boats or of ships in. foggy weather above water they are used for receiving fog trumpet signals or for similar purposes.

By substituting for the microphone a loud speaker the device may be used as a loud speaker transmitting uniformly in all directions. By employing other sound sources the device may be used as a fog trumpet.

In case of light waves the device may be also used as a receiver for concentrating on one point light coming from different or large sources of light. But its principal field of application is that of transmitting light. In the focus or foci, sources of light are mounted and the device or apparatus is then used for illuminating halls, places, railway stations and aviator stations and the like.

By properly using diaphragms which may also differ in colour, the angle through which light is emitted may be limited and optical signals may be transmitted. The angle of inclination of the transmitted rays may be varied by adjusting axially the position of the source of light or by turning the sectors preferably around their foci.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a further development of the constructional form shown in Fig. 1. The sector surface 1, is in this case disposed symmetrically relatively to the focal plane. The waves are not reflected from the same to the microphones but at first to intermediate reflecting surfaces 9 having for its generatrix an arc of a parabola and thence the rays are reflected to a second sector surface 10. While the sector surfaces 1 have in this case no common focus but the foci of the various sectors are located in a circle coinciding with the focal line of the intermediate reflecting surface 9, the surface 10 has such a focus (or a focal circle of a very small diameter) in which the microphone 2 with the casing 3 is mounted. The slotted shield 4 is located between the intermediate reflecting surface 9 and the sector surface 10. The shield, which is in this instance of cylindrical shape, is rotatable on the circular guide 42 and may be rotated by the gear 43.

The field of application is about the same as that of the first constructional form, in this case too other devices may be substituted for the microphone.

Fig. 7 shows a transverse section of an illuminating apparatus consisting of four ellipsoids arranged in the form of a star. In the focus 14 of each ellipsoid a source of light is provided the other foci 15 coincide or are adjacent to each other. Such an apparatus may be used for illuminating purposes, for copying microphotographs and the like.

The same as in the constructional forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2 also in the other constructional forms the microphones and sources of light ma be substituted by each other or by any 0t ier means for receiving and sending light and sound Waves. Instead of providing the reflecting surfaces With a radiation angle of 360 they may be constructed, so as to have a smaller radiation angle if only such latter be required as is already shown in Fig. 3.

. What We claim is:

1. In a wave transmitting apparatus a refleeting surface consisting of a plurality of sectors of concave surfaces having fooi, such sectors being arranged in star shape around an axis andwave transmitting devices arranged in such foci.

2. In a Wave transmitting apparatus a reflecting surface consisting of a plurality of sectors of concave surfaces having foci and wave transmitting devices arranged in such foci, such sectors being arranged in star shape around an axis, the said sectors being triangular and their meridional edges meeting in a point of the said axis.

8. In a Wave transmitting apparatus, a refiecting surface consisting of a plurality of sectors of concave surfaces having foci and wave transmitting devices arranged in such foci, such sectors being arranged in star shape around an axis in combination with a slotted shield interposed into the path of the Waves and means for adjusting such slotted shield.

4. In a wave transmitting apparatus, a refleeting surface consisting of a plurality of sectors of concave surfaces having foci and Wave transmitting devices arranged in such foci, such sectors being arranged in star shape around an axis in combination with a casing adapted to direct Waves to the foci of the said sectors. V

In testimony whereof We have affixed our signatures.

CHRISTIAN VON HOFE. MAX MAURER. 

